Letters to the editor: Bipartisan sellout

While Becky Bennett seems to hold the tectonic shift in our nation’s politics in disdain, I find it refreshing.

There is something extremely rare and important happening in our country: Democrat and Republican voters alike have risen up to tell the elites in Washington, “Enough!” The voters are tired of the bipartisan sellout of our country to well-heeled lobbyists.

In his farewell address, our greatest president, George Washington, warned posterity “in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party.” Party spirit, he wrote, “opens the door to foreign influence and corruption, which find a facilitated access to the government itself through the channels of party passions.”

President Washington’s words proved prescient. The great civic struggle of our time is not Democrat vs. Republican, but the Insider vs. the Citizen. We, the people, must rise up as one and take our country back from the unholy alliance of career politicians and moneymen who stuff their coffers in exchange for writing the laws that govern us.

I did not solicit Democrats to write my name on their ballots, yet more than 1,000 in the Party of Jefferson and Jackson did just that, which is extraordinary and, perhaps, testifies that voters of all stripes are eager to be rid of our lobbyist-owned congressman.

Should I choose to accept the Democratic nomination, it will be to continue to fight for this cause on behalf of my fellow citizens who are fed up with Washington’s corrupt ways, regardless of party.

That seems honest, principled, consistent and honorable to me.

Art Halvorson, candidate for Congress, 9th District

Trump's tax plan

The good ole “Trickle Down Economics” has been the name of Republican scam on low income workers for much of the last half century and continues on steroids with Trump’s tax proposal to cut the top tax rate from 39.6% to 25%. It will give an extra $1.3 million to millionaires and billionaires. This will occur when 303 top 500 corporations hold $2.4 trillion offshore avoiding $685 billion in taxes. Also plans are in place to repeal estate and gift taxes while same corporations make $196 billion after spending 159 million on campaigns and lobbying bringing down tax rate to -9%. Trump's tax plan will reduce federal revenues by $12 trillion while Trump wants to increase the military further exploding the deficit.

His plan to expand nuclear weapons to Europe and mideast is pure insanity. I’ve seen first-hand the launch of a nuclear warhead from a ship and every American should be scared.

With college tuition having gone up by 1120% since 1978, medical expense up 601%, food up 244% and household income up only 6.9%, CEO income is up 937%. History shows every Republican president since 1961 has left office with a higher deficit than when he took office.

Obama having just reduced Bush’s deficit of $1.4 trillion to $438 billion today has Republicans frothing at the mouth to use credit card and/or cut programs for the poor. By cutting education at state and federal levels they hope voters will be too dumb to see their scams.

Republicans' past fearless leader Dennis Hastert claimed Republicans were the party of family values. With Hastert exposed as a serial child molester their true hypocrisy and values come to light. He joins the ongoing list of more than 225 Republican sex offenders.

Marlin Wagner, Chambersburg

Nuclear threat

While the Iran Deal seemingly mitigates risks of nuclear weapons becoming a threat to the United States and its allies, nuclear proliferation is still a major menace to the free world through proxies of Russia and Iran.

Armenia as Moscow and Tehran's closest ally in South Caucasus where multiple West-backed energy infrastructure exist and Washington and Brussels' immediate interests lie, has taken upon itself the role of the tacit enforcer of nuclear proliferation. Despite the collapse of Soviet Union, official Yerevan chose to stay dependent on Russia by releasing 90% of its economy and political-military establishment to the Kremlin. In exchange Armenia has received direct military and political support from both Russia and Iran in occupying close to 20% of the territories of a US ally Azerbaijan.

Immediately after clashes in early April in Azerbaijan when the advancing Armenian forces were repelled by Azerbaijani army, reports of Armenia's involvement in nuclear proliferation resurfaced. On April 18, Georgian intelligence detained several Armenian nationals attempting to sell $200 million worth of weapons-grade U-238 used to produce homemade nuclear device also called a "dirty bomb." According to Jerusalem Post, on April 29 Armenian MP Hrant Bagratyan admitted that Armenia now has "the ability to create nuclear weapons" and bragged that "we have nuclear weapons."

So, whether these nuclear weapons or "dirty bombs" will be used against Azerbaijan or against US interests elsewhere is unknown, but stopping Armenia from violating international law and endangering America and its allies is a priority. As an American, I call upon our government to force Armenia to comply with international law and refrain from nuclear proliferation, which can harm the United States, Israel and our European allies.